Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-06-17

His Letter Recalling the Document-A
General Rising Up of Ex-Soidiers Against
the Proposition-Fairchild Speaks at
New Haven-Protests from Many Local
ities--Some Expressions from Southern
Men-Drum's Statement.
WASHINGTON CITY. June l9.-The fol-
lowing is the text of letter
from the president received by the
secretary of war Thursday afternoon,
respecting the return to the various states,
of flags captured during the late war:
| have to-day considered with more care than
when the subject was presented orally to me the
action of your department directing letters to be
addressed to the governors of all the states offer
ing to return, if desired to the loyal states the
Union flags captured in the of the rebellion
| by Confederate forces and afterwards recovered
by government troops; and to the Confederate
states the flags captured by the Union forces, all
| of which, for many years, have been packed in
| boxes and stored in the cellar of the war depart
ment
lam of the opinion that the return of these
flags in the manner thus contemplated is not au-
| thorized by law. ] request therefore, that no
| further steps I've taken in the matter, except to
| examine and inventory these flags and adopt
| proper measures for their preservation Any di-
rection TO the final disposition of them should
| originate with congress Yours truly,
Signed GROVER CLEVELAND.
The following statement concerning the
restoration of the rebel battle-t flags was made
to a representative of The United Press at the
| White House Thursday night:
When the question of returning certain
| flags to the states was mentioned to the preSi-
dent by the adjutant general of the army the
| important feature seemed to be the return TO
the loyal states of the flags which had been
captured by the Confederates and retaken by
our army at the time of the collapse of the
rebellion. They, with some OF the Confed
crate flags captured from the enemy by our
troops, had been for long time uncared
for and neglected, packed away in
boxes and going to decay in the
cellar of the war department, and had
lately been removed to the attic as better
place for their safe keeping. The disposition
of the flags, which seemed to be answering no
good purpose where they were was the main
point, and the consideration was presented TO
to the president that some flags had been re-
turned TO loyal states upon their request in in
| dividual cases, and the rest, if desired, might
as well all be returned together. The return
of the Confederate flags, which were with the
| others In the department, was suggested. but
| there was not the slightest thought of inter
| fering in any way with the captured flags
now held by any state
| The fact. apparently received with favor
| by the country, that lately, in one or more
cases, northern troops visiting their late an
| tagOnists at the south had returned to them
| flags which had been captured in battle from
| those whose hospitalities they were enjoying;
the further fact that northern troops who,
within a very short time, had been visiting
southern battle fields, had spoken in the
warrnest terms of the kind and hospitable
treatment they had received from Confeder-
ate soldiers, and the fact too, that soldiers
from the north and south were just gathering
at the national capital to meet in
| friendly competition at the national drill,
seemed to Indicate that if the Union flags
were returned to the loyal states which had
lost them in battle, it would not be iuconsist-
ent with the fraternal sentiment which
seemed to be prevalent to offer at the same
time to the governors of the states formerly
in rebellion a return of the flags which had
| DSen captured from Dnen SOlulerS ne right
! of the department to make these returns be
ing questioned by the president, it was dis
tinctly asserted, and precedents alleged, and
| theTeupon his verbal assent was given to the
| proposed action
The matter was dismissed from his mind
until comment within the last dav OF two
brought 1t again to his attention, when, upon
| personally examining the law and consider
ing the subject more CAREFUL, he satisfied him
self that no disposition of these flags could be
made without congressional action; where
upon he directed Il suspension of further pro
ceedings in the matter.
The action Of the president has measurably
allayed the intense excitement which has eX-
isted here for the past twenty-four hours, and
! the secretary of war and Gen. Drum came in
/ for no small amount of unfriendly criticism
for their course regarding the matter The
surrender of the flags and the suit threatened
and, IN fact almost begun, to prevent the
same, would have raised discussion that
would have done more to fOnlent sectional
| strife than the exhibition of the trophies for
a hundred years. Consequently, on all hands
the presidents action iii stopping the proceed
| ings is endorsed OF course the Ohio suit will
| be discontinued